Pipe bender



Feb. 9, 1932. M. E. JOHNSON PIPE BENDER Filed June 13, 1929 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES i MARTIN E. JOHNSON,

Parar oFFIcE e rrrn nennen Application filed June 13,

" it is against the ceiling or other support in such a manner that the conduit may be bent in the direction desired. Also heretofore it has been customary to use diil'erentdevices for bench and hand work, thus making it impera tive to carry two pipe benders or"hiclreys when upon an installation away from the shop. In the prior devices of the bench type benders suitable for use on scatl'olds or ladders and which were usually attached to theV supporting ladder or standard, no Vprovision was made for bringing the work within reach of the workman. In such devices it is necessary or the workman to reach over the side of the scaffold in an awkward and dangerous manner. Furthermore, no provision was made to facilitate handling the work after a partial bend was made, causing the end of the pipe being bent to extend out of reach of the workman. Y

v It is the purpose of this invention, theretore, to provide a single device which may be used for bench or hand work, which may be used iush against a ceiling or other support, which will support the work in a position readily reached by the workman when the device'is secured to .a scaffold or ladder and which will support the work in suc-h a manner as to assist in making short bends.

In accordance with this invention the pipe bending device is constructedprincipally of two p`arts,"one a supporting plate member and the other a bending member, the latter of which carries the usual spaced pipe engaging portions or elements over which the pipe may be bent when using the device in the open or away from theepipe support. The latter member i isA also provided with means for grasping a pipe or conduit which is supported tightly against a ceiling or other support and with means for attachment of two handles 1929. Serial No. $30,474.

when the member is to be used alone as a hand device. In this instance one handle may be used as a i'ulcrum while the other handle may be used to impart a bending movement to the bending member as a whole. The two members are also constructed to be detachably locked together in order that they'may be separated for individual use and interlocked in such a manner that they may be separated at will and replaced together in any of several positions with theirprincipalsurfaces either in the same or in different planes. This manner of attachment of the'two parts makes it possible to bring the work within convenient reaching distance of the workman in the event that the supporting plate member is secured to a scaffold or the like, or in the event that short bends are being made.

In one form the interlocking means on the bending member may also serve as the conduit gripping element when conduit against a ceiling is to be bent.V

Other advantages and novelv points of structure will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment oi' this invention given in connection withthe drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of apipe bender constructed in accordance with this invention and applied to the upright of a ladder,

Fig'. 2 is a front elevation of a pipe bender constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the supporting plate member,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bending f member showing the disposition of the two' handles for use as a hand device, and p Fig. 6' is a rear elevation of the bending member. v Y

In the illustrated embodiment of this'invention the bending devicevor hickey is one particularly suitable for bending oval conduit and is constructed of two main members,f a supporting plate memberV indicated generally by reference numeral l and a bend-v ing member indicated generally by reter' ence numeral 2, the two members being detachably secured together by a Lform of tongue and groove connection to be lat-er described.

rlhe supporting plate member 1 is generally an elongated flat member adapted to be secured to a bench scaffold, ladder (Fig. 1) or the like by means of bolts passing through openings Sat each end of the plate. Formed integrally with and extending the full length of the plate is an upper and lower track or guideway 4 and 5 respectively. the edges of which are undercut as at G (Fig. l) to form one member of a tongue and groove or dovetail sliding connect-ion between members 1 and 2 to be described more fully hereafter. The upper section of the track or runway 4 is inclined to the general plane of plate 1,`

1 nation throws the member 2, when attached to the plate member, inwardly, and thus brings the work within reach of the workman, as will be more fully explained hereafter. The lower track 5 is formed with its outer Vface parallel to the general plane of plate 1 (Fig. 1), thus affording two positions for the bending member when attachedin different planes. At the uncture of the two tracks there Vis formed a shoulder 7 which acts as alimiting stop of the upper track.

, The bending member indicated generally by reference numeral 2 has the shape of a liat square member having two channels or grooves 8 formedin one face thereof. The grooves are of sufficient depth and widthto lit over the conduit for which thel bender is designed. The grooves also serve as the other member of the sliding connection between parts 1 and Zand for this reason the outer edges of the grooves are extended inwardly to engage the undercut edges of either track 4 or o and to interlock therewith. The channels in the illustrated form extend across the entire member in directions perpendicular to each other, thus the bending member can be removed from the supporting plate rotated 90 and be reassembled with the other channel engaging the track. Projecting from the vmember Zion the opposite face from that having the channels 8 are a pair of spaced pipe engaging elements 9 and 10 also grooved to'receive the size pipe or conduit for which the bender is designed. As is customary, the elements 9 and 10 may be staggered to permit the member being placed the bending member to receive a handle 13 such as a short length of pipe. This handle is adapted to serve as a lever for imparting a bending movement to said member. The socket 12 may also have a lateral extension 14 on one side thereof tapped .to receive a second handle 15 which will-extend in a; direction perpendicular to the first handle. The handle 15 may be used as a means of removing and 1eplacing the bending memberfrom and on the supporting plate member, and it may also be used as a fulcrum when the device is being used as a hand implement.

In practice the pipe bender may be used as a bench device by which is meant either a bench or scaiolding of any type, or .as a hand implement.- For the first use the .supporting plate member lis attached to a bench or other support by means of. bolts or screws fastened through holes 3, they upper hole be-y ing countersunk to permit theliead of the securing bolt or screw. to be sunk -lush with the top surface or track 4.` The bending member may then be slid on track 4 until the bottom edge of the bending member contacts with the shoulder 7. In this position the axes of the two grooves inthe pipe engaging elements 9.andl0 will be inclined to the ,general plane of the platemember 1,'thus causing a pieceof pipe held therein to project ,overl the platform or scadolding in such a mannerthat it may be conveniently grasped by the workman. Shouldthe section of pipe-.being bent be too long or in the ,wayprojecting over the scaffold, the bending member y may. d be removed from track 4 and replacedfby sliding upon track 5. vIn this position the axes of the grooves in pipe engaging elements Quand .1Q are substantially parallel to thegeneral plane of the supporting plate member. If the char.- acter of the bend being madein the pipe'car-l ries the projecting portion ofthe pipe verticallyout of reach of the workman befoie the bendk has been completed, the bending member may be removed ,from track 4 or 5,

rotated 90o and replaced with the other chan nel engaging the particular track desired, thus bringing the rprojecting portion of the pipe back within reach of the workman. For use'as a hand device the member 2is used independently of thesupporting vplate 1. In this use handle 13 is used as a leverwhile handlev 15 maybe used asa fulcrum. Where the pipe being bent is not-in close relation to a ceiling or the like elements 9 and 10.may be' used for grasping the pipe. If the pipe'to be bent is secured against the ceiling or the like grooves S may be usedthus permittingthe element to be placed flush vagainst the ceiling. In this .use it is to be noted that .althoughY the face of the bender may be flush againstthe ceiling handle 13 is spaced far enough away to permitl grasping by the hand but isnear.

enough so that thebender is not likely' toy skew around. i

From the above `it is obvious Vthat a pipe bending device constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention is capable of varied uses and of application in places of limited spaces. It is also apparent that a device constructed in accordance with this invention brings the pipe or conduit being bent to a convenient and safe position foxA manipulation by the workman. It is obvious that other forms of interlocking tracks may be used in place of the simple tongue and groove slide shown and that other changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the claims ap pended hereto.

I claim:

l. A pipe bender adapted for use as a hand device or as a bench device including a supporting plate member, a bending member, said bending member having a plurality of spaced pipe engaging portions projecting therefrom, said pipe engagingV portions having grooves therein disposed with Atheir aXeS substantially aligned with each other and by means of which a section of pipe may be bent, and means for detachably securing said bending member to said supporting plate member with the axes of said grooves at an inclination to the plane of said supporting plate.

2. A pipe bender adapted for use as a hand device or as a bench device including a supporting plate member, a bending member, said bending member having a plurality of pipe engaging portions projecting therefrom in spaced relation to one another and over which a. section of pipe may be bent, and a tongue and groove sliding connection between said supporting plate member and said bending member, whereby said members may be detachably secured together.

3. A pipe bender adaptedfor use as a hand device or as a bench device including a supporting plate member', a bending member,

' said bending member having a plurality of spaced pipe engaging portions projecting therefrom and over which a section of pipe may be bent, and means for detachably securing said bending member to said supporting plate member with the plane of said bending member at an inclination to the plane of said plate member.

4. A pipe bender comprising a bending member having a plurality of spaced pipe engaging portions projecting therefrom over which a section of pipe may be bent, means for attaching a handle to said member, and means for attaching` a second handle to said member in such a manner that the two handles will extend in different directions from said member lwhen attached thereto, where-- by one handle may be used as a fulcrum for movements produced in said member by the use of said second handle.

5. A pipe bender comprising a supporting plate membery and a bending member having spaced pipe' engaging port-ions: projecting from one face thereof arranged to'simultane ously engage theroppositesides of the piple beingbent at spaced points along its lengt means for securing said bending memberto said platemember in .a plurality of; positions angularly disposed relatively to each other..

6. Arpipe bender comprising asupporting plate memberand a bending member, said lattermember having spaced pipe` engaging 'i portions projecti-ng therefrom arranged to simultaneously.engage the opposite sidesof the pipe being bent at spaced points along'its length, means for securing said bending member tozsaid plate member in twop'ositions in'substantially the sameplane but angularly disposed relativelytoueach other. f,

7. yA' pipe bender comprisinga supporting `plate member and a ,bending member, said gaging portions rprojectingtherefromv and Y havinga plurality of channels formedftherein, Isaid channels being` disposed at; an inclination to each other,-each of said channels being constructed toengage and interlock with saidtrack whereby. said bending member may be secured-to saidfplate member in a plurality of angular positions in substantiallythe same plane. 'i j f f f' u 9. A pipe bender comprisingl a supporting plate memberhaving al track formed thereon and a bending member having a plurality of spaced pipe engaging portions. projecting 'y therefrom, and having a channel lformed therein constructed to engage and interlock with said track, said track having a plurality of sections, each section being disposed in a different plane relatively to the other sections whereby said bending member may be secured to said plate member in each of a plurality of positions in relatively diHere-nt Y planes.

10. A pipe bender including a bending member having pipe engaging grooves in one face thereof and a handle projecting from anotherface thereof with the axis of said handle parallel to the axes of said grooves'but in a plane removed from the plane of the axis of said grooves where-by the face of the bending member having pipe engaging grooves therein may engage a pipe in Contact with its supporting surface without removing the pipe therefrom.

l1. AV pipe bender including a bending liso e iso member having means for securing a handle thereto va plurality of `spaced pipe engaging portions projectingfrom one face thereofland over which a section ofpipe :maybe bent 'and a pipe enga-ging groove in another face thereof. 12. Agpipe bender adapted for use as a hand deviceor asa bench device including asupporting plate member, a bending ymember, said bending memberhaving mea-ns1 for securing a handle thereto, a plurality of spacedl pipe engaging portions projecting fromvone face thereof and over which a section` of pipe may be bent and pipe engaging grooves formed in another 'face thereof Vand means for detaehably securing said bending member to saidsupporting plate member.

13. A pipe benderadapted for use as a. hand device or as a bench device including a supporting plate member, a bending mem ber, said -bending member havin-g a v plurality of spaced pipe engaging .portions projecting from-one face thereof andover which a section of pipe maybe bentrandhaving pipe engaging grooves` formed in another face thereof and means ifor 'detachably securing said bending member to said supporting plate member, lsaid grooves constituting one element of said-securing means.` 1 f 14. A pipe bender adapted' for useas a hand 4device or as a bench device `including fa supporting plate member,` means for securing said plate member to a support, and a bending member fdetachablyf securedk to Vsaid plate member, said bending member being removablefrom said plate member independently thereof and having a plurality of spaced pipe engaging portions projecting therefrom and over which a section ofpipe may be bent and means for securing a handle thereto whereby said bending member may be used inde-pendently of said supporting plate memberwithout disturbing the attachment `of the plate member to its support. f

In Witness of the foregoing I aflix my signature. l MARTIN E. JOHNSON. 

